Westlake Theatre
historic place
The Westlake Theatre, located in Los Angeles, California, opened on September 22, 1926. Designed by architect Richard M. Bates, Jr., its exterior features a Spanish Baroque style, also known as Churrigueresque. The interior incorporated Renaissance and Adamesque elements. The theater originally seated nearly 2,000 patrons. Inside, murals by Anthony Heinsbergen adorned the auditorium and lobby. The Westlake Theatre was built for West Coast Theatres at a cost of $750,000. In 1935, architect S. Charles Lee oversaw renovations, updating the marquee, ticket booth, and interior foyer. The theater later became a venue for Spanish-language films in the 1960s. It closed as a movie theater on June 26, 1991, and was then converted into a swap meet. In September 1991, the City of Los Angeles declared the Westlake Theatre a Cultural Historic Monument. It was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The Westlake Theatre stands as a significant example of early 20th-century cinema architecture in Los Angeles.